Trump & MAGA’s Tucker Problem That WON’T GO AWAY

Tucker Carlson, despite being fired from every major cable network and 'excoriated everywhere,' maintains unparalleled influence in American media, particularly within the presidential administration. This positions him as a unique figure whose power transcends traditional media structures.

The hosts state, 'He has been fired by every cable network... and yet he probably has more influence right now than any other person in the American media.' The guest adds, 'certainly the most influential media person inside the White House.'

Carlson's upbringing combined extreme privilege from his mother's aristocratic family with profound trauma. His mother abandoned him and his brother at a young age due to drug problems, leaving his father with sole custody. This abandonment is presented as a foundational element of his worldview and dislike of the left.

Biographer Jason Zengerle explains his mother's wealthy background and subsequent drug use, leading to Tucker never seeing her after age eight. The hosts frame it as 'abandoned by his hippie mother,' and Zengerle confirms this informed his 'dislike of the left' and 'worldview.' His mother later left him $1 in her will.

Carlson began his career as a 'team player' for neoconservative outlets like The Weekly Standard, supporting figures like Bill Kristol and advocating for the Iraq War. However, a trip to Baghdad during the war led to a profound disillusionment, triggering an 'ideological conversion' where he began to question his mentors and shift towards paleoconservative stances on issues like immigration and trade.

Zengerle details Carlson's role at The Weekly Standard, his public cheerleading for the Iraq War while at CNN, and his subsequent 'horrified' return from Baghdad. He notes Carlson was 'one of the first conservative pundits who'd supported the war who turned against it,' leading him to 'question the people who he looked up to' and embrace paleoconservative views.

Carlson's tenure on CNN's 'Crossfire' ended dramatically after Jon Stewart publicly dismantled the show and Carlson's persona, calling him a 'dick' and criticizing the show for 'hurting America.' This event, which became an early viral video, led to CNN canceling 'Crossfire' and Carlson losing his job, marking a significant low point and forcing him to re-evaluate his career.

Zengerle recounts Stewart's 'harsh and personal' critique, ridiculing Carlson's bow tie and the show's format. He states, 'John Stewart was the one who crashed and burnt it and and crashed and burned Tucker's career in the process.' This led to CNN's president canceling the show, resulting in Carlson losing his job and suffering 'pretty intense public and personal humiliation.'